Folding chair



(No Model.)

I. G. LEEK.

FOLDING CHAIR.

No. 595,316. Patente Deg. 14,1897.

Inventor:

Kaw-

Unrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRA G. LEEK, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

FOLDING CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,316, dated December 14, 1897.

Application filed February 25,1897.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA G. LEEK, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Chairs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it most nearly appertains to make, use, and practice the same.

My invention relates to that class of adj ustable folding chairs in which the back and arm rests and also a leg-supporting front extension are hinged to the seat, so that they may be shifted and adjusted to various positions with reference to the seat portion and there by convert it from an ordinary chair to a reclining-chair or cot as desired.

As this class of chairs has heretofore been constructed it has been necessary to furnish them with loose or independent cushions, because the character of joints employed for connecting the back and leg-supporting front extension with the seat made it impracticable to upholster them.

Myimprovement consists in providing linkjoints for connecting the chair-back with the seat and also link-joints for connecting the legsupporting front extension with the seat and means for supporting these joints or links so that they will be rigid when rigidity is necessary and adjustable when adjustability is necessary and at the same time permit the chair to be permanently upholstered without interfering with the adj ustability of the parts.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view ofthe chair, showing the back slightly inclined backward and the front extension raised. Fig. 2 is a plan of the seat and front extension. Fig. 3 shows the back folded over forward on its link-joint and the front extension lowered, and Fig. 4: shows the back and front extension in process of being folded inward.

A represents the chair-seat, which is mounted upon the legs 13 B in the usual way and has the usual brace-rods C.

Dis the back of the chair, and E is the front leg-supporting extension.

In constructing the seat, back, and leg-sup: porting extension I can use a single strap of Serial No. 625,013. (No model.)

metal to form the outer binding or frame of each. This strap of metal I bend to the form of a parallelogram and unite the two ends by rivets or otherwise, and then I can use wire cloth or other filling inside the parallelogram to form the foundation of the upholstering. These features, however, can be varied according to circumstances; but I mention them as they illustrate the simplicity and economy in manufacture which are rendered possible by my construction.

The back D is connected with the seat by a metal link F on each side. 'This link has one end hinged or pivoted to the outside of the side rail of the back near its lower end, while its opposite end is hinged or pivoted to the rear corner of the seat-frame, so that the back can swing upon the links in adjusting it to its various positions, as represented at Figs. 3 and 4. The links F are long enough to permit the back to swing inside of them when they are brought to the same plane, in which position sliding loops g on the side rails of the seat-frame can be slid down over the links and rails, as shown at Fig. 1, and thus confine the links rigidly to the side rails, so that the back can then be adjusted on the lower hinge-joint of the link to set it at any desired angle.

The front extension E is connected with the seat-frame by links h. These links may be longer than the links F at the back, and they are hinged or pivoted at one end to the side rail of the seat a short distance back from the front rail of the seat, while their opposite ends are hinged or pivoted to or near the corner of the extension-frame. A notch 'i is made on the under side of each link 71., which will rest upon a pin j on the leg or front part of the seat-rail when the link falls to a position in line with the side rail of the seat. In this position the extension can be raised or lowered on the front hinge-joint of the link. The notch is not a necessary feature, but it serves to seat the link upon the pin better than if no notch is used.

K is the usual notched brace that is used on this class of chairs to support the extension at a desired angle, as shown at Figs. 1, 2, and 4.

The hinged arms and braces in no way vary from the hinged arms and braces heretofore used in this class of chairs.

These link connecting-joints for the chairback and front extension permit a wide range of motion when the chair is being folded, so that all three of the partsviz. the chair seat, back, and front extension-may be permanently upholstered and the various adjustments made without any interference of the upholstered parts. The chair is also capable of being folded, as shown at Fig. 3, and may be readily adjusted to assume any of the reclining or cot positions incident to this class of chairs.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- I 1. In an adjustable folding chair a seat, a back hinged thereto, means to control the inclination of the back and to hold it in desired position, links connecting the rear corners of the seat with the side rails of the back at a point above their low ends and sliding loops adapted to either confine the body of the links in line with the side rails, or to free them therefrom whereby the back may be folded in a long sweep over the seat, substantially as described.

2. In an adjustable folding chair a seat, a back hinged thereto, links connecting the cor- .ner of the seat with the side rails of the back 

